Affiliates and acquisition

GEO tiers: countries by player value

A GEO tier (tier-1, tier-2 or tier-3) is a group of countries with similar player value. Tier-1 means high revenue per player and expensive traffic, while tier-2 and tier-3 traffic is cheaper and more mass-market. The tier drives CPA rates and offers, but the licence comes first.

Yevhen SychovOctober 2026

How countries are split

TierWhat it usually meansTraffic
Tier-1high revenue per player, strict regulation, strong competitionthe most expensive
Tier-2medium revenue per player, growing marketsmid-priced
Tier-3low average deposit, mass-market audiencecheap, needs volume

There is no single list: a tier is an agreement between the operator and its affiliates. The same country can be tier-1 for one product and tier-2 for another. Decide on your own data: average deposit, LTV and retention by country.

Licence first

A tier does not give you the right to operate in a market. First check whether your licence allows the country, whether your payment and game providers work there and which advertising rules apply. High revenue per player does not make a market accessible: without the right to operate, it is not in the plan.

What to set up per GEO

  • Affiliate rates: CPA, baseline and minimum deposit by country. For example, a €300 CPA in tier-1 and €40 in tier-3.
  • Offers: bonus size, minimum and maximum deposit to match the local average deposit.
  • Language: the site, support, emails and KYC requests in the player's language.
  • Currency and payment methods: a balance in the local currency and the methods people in the country actually pay with.
  • Games: only games and providers available in that country.

Compare GEOs by the full cost of a player from the 1st to the 5th deposit, including CPA and revenue share, against that player's LTV in the country.

Common mistakes

  • One offer for every GEO. A minimum deposit that is normal for tier-1 can be higher than a typical player's deposit in tier-3.
  • Paying tier-1 rates for traffic from other GEOs. Without checking the country by IP, KYC and payment method, an affiliate can pass off a cheap GEO as an expensive one.
  • Buying traffic without a cashier. Players arrive, but their usual payment method is missing: registrations with no deposits.
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